Lessons-learned from a vision care program expansion: Reaching students in elementary schools across the Philippines

Addressing a significant gap in available vision care services to children throughout the Philippines, Physicians for Peace conducts a vision education and screening program in selected public elementary schools.  The expansion of the program, made possible through a grant from the USAID funded Advancing Partners and Communities project, warranted the enhancement of monitoring and evaluation practices and standardization of programmatic procedures.  Seeking and utilizing input from local optometrist volunteers, systematic data collection was strengthened in order to demonstrate program outcomes.  In order to reach children where they can easily and reliably be accessed, local volunteer optometrists’ visit schools throughout the Philippines selected in partnership with the Department of Education.  During these visits, optometrists conduct educational sessions on vision care for teachers and school staff, and provide screening and refraction services for children in selected grade levels.  The program served over 1,500 students in 12 schools in 2013 and provided education and training in vision screening to over 75 teachers and school staff.  Follow-up visits are currently in process among a sampling of schools to gauge compliance in eyeglasses use and to generate feedback from school administrators, teachers, and students.  Numerous lessons have been learned during this expansion period, informing opportunities for program improvement and further growth.  Areas of focus for future efforts include more effective ways to provide education and screening training to teachers, an enhanced understanding of differences in refraction needs among schools, and incorporating parental involvement and education as a way to reinforce the importance of vision health.